Colombia fans riveted to soccer game in West New York bars but Brazil wins.

Faithfull fans of the Colombian World Cup soccer team were riveted to televisions in West New York bars and restaurants and although confident that their team would win, it was not be.

Just before 6 p.m., all the emotion drained out of Las Palmas Restaurant on Bergenline Avenue when Brazil bested Colombia 2-1. Colombia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time ever this year.

On June 28 when Columbia stunned Uruguay 2-0, about 3,000 people poured out of bars, restaurants and their homes to celebrate, forcing police to close Bergenline Avenue between 64th and 69th streets in West New York. This evening, Bergenline is quiet.
One car’s horn blared as it went down Bergenline at 6:10 p.m,, apparently a Brazil fan.

“I think we are going to win,” said Marcal Faijoo, of New York City who was wearing a Colombian soccer jersey as he shouted over the cheers while watching the game with a table full of friends at Las as the game got underway.

“We are losing right now but we still have time and we are playing good right now,” said Faijoo. “It’s all different this year. New teams are winning. The whole story is different this year.”

Javier Suarez, 53, of West New York, also watched the game tensely, but said “I feel confident. I feel good. We will win.” Suarez credited Colombia’s unprecedented success in the World Cup in part to forward James Rodriguez, saying “He is so good.”

At the starts of today’s game at 4 p.m. El Rinconcito Colombiano was already packed and management was turning people away.

On Saturday, in addition to local police, the State Police Department, Port Authority Police, the Hudson County Sheriff's Office and Cliffside Park Police Department sent officers to assist with the situation, he said, adding no arrests were made. There is a police presence in Bergenline this evening.

“It was really amazing,” said Ramon Perez in Las Palmas today. “Everybody was outside celebrating and blowing their car horns and it was all in a nice way.